The optic nerve has four parts - intraocular, intraorbital, intracanalicular, and intracranial. It carries signals from the retina to the brain. The second order neurons are the retinal ganglion cells whose axons form the optic nerve. The optic chiasm allows fibers from the nasal retina to cross to the opposite side. The optic tracts relay signals from the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate bodies. The optic radiations then carry signals from the LGBs to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe where visual perception occurs. Lesions in different parts of the visual pathway cause specific visual field defects.